May 27th, 2011 by jgrimes
My title Hubbers Leaving HubPages.com
page contents- Home page, Welcome Blog Readers.
With the onset of the big Panda update by Google, and the clear lack of direction by some of the company’s founding members Paul Edmondson (creative genius behind HubPages.com), Paul Deeds (HubPages.com software engineer), and Maddie Ruud (long time HubPages.com team staff member); HubPages.com has seen many of their longtime, veteran hubbers leaving by the droves. The chief complaints arrange anywhere from inadequacy, reckless inconsistency, out right favoritism, incompetence, and an unfair rating system. Leaving many successful Hubbers pondering, whether or not publishing hubs, on HubPages.com is worth it anymore.
Since the Panda update, HubPages.com has taken a direct hit for Adsense infractions, inadvertently effecting the incoming site-traffic numbers, which comes in from Google’s search engine page. The negative impact from the fallen traffic it seems, has not been handled in the most responsible manner. For it does appear by all the incoming, recent complaints; these newly imposed infractions where directly enacted against the HubPages.com economic mainstay- the writers. The clear back bone of HubPages.com online writing website. But, instead of standing behind their authors, HubPages.com took a different approach in their management of the situation. Blaming not themselves, but, their writers. Thus, taking the path of hidden innuendos, unfriendly postings, self-imposed witch-hunts, and enacted inquisitions. Thus, turning HubPages.com into a Gettysburg; forcing Hubber against Hubber and online friends against online friends.
Nevertheless, some veteran Hubbers received a rare opportunity last Friday evening to vent their frustration at an actual HubPages.com employee, which nowadays is a rare event indeed. The opportunity arose when HubPages’ staff member Norah Casey chimed into the, “Just when you thought the HubPages staff couldn’t be anymore clueless…” forum thread. Which coincidently was started by veteran Hubber, Mr. Voodoo, a published hub writer with 2+ years writing experience on HubPages.com,and a personal fan base of over 415 members strong. Did I also fail to mention that not only has Mr. Voodoo’s been writing on HubPages.com for two years, he also has 188 published hubs. Making Mr. Voodoo’s success on the site, nothing to sneeze at or dismiss.
As the story goes, Mr. Voodoo’s trouble all began when an apparent reader flagged a hub for promoting “child pornography.” In Mr. Voodoo’s own words, he tells us how he was flagged by a viewer over a comment that was left by a teenage boy in Mr. Voodoo’s hub, in the comment section of the article. In which the teenagers asks the Hub veteran a health related question to that of the said article. Therefore, in response to HubPages.com automatic email notification, which I personally gathered was not in Mr. Voodoo’s favor, so he starts a forum thread by writing;
—”They (HubPages) all but accuse me of running some kind of kiddie porn dungeon, because on my hub about having ‘itchy nuts’, some worried ’14 year olds’ have questioned whether the fact they masturbate might be the cause of their itching. In the comments section.”
In what I believe to be an attempt to gain fellow support, from other Hubbers visiting the forums that evening. Well naturally it worked. Mr. Voodoo goes onto to point out some of the few contradictions there at HubPages.com, regarding it’s sexual content policy. One such comment, had many fellow hubbers in an uproar over learning more policy discrepancies, at the hand of incompetent HubPages.com staffers.
Again, the post was cleverly made by the originator of the thread, Mr. Voodoo. He is writing in response to fellow Hubber, Marisa Wright’s comment; where she makes an assertion that HubPages.com never makes money off of sexually explicit content.
— Mrvoodoo wrote:
You’re mistaken. HP is making plenty of money from adult products:
http://hubpages.com/hub/Why-a-Vibrator- … than-a-Man
http://hubpages.com/hub/Condoms-For-all-Occasions
I didn’t even delve very far in to find these. They were both on the hottest hubs list.
Oh look, there’s Ryan Hupfer, previous HP spokesman, and Paul Deeds dad, in the comments, 
Norah Casey’s position in the matter was one of self-preservation, and saving face. She was careful to only answer comments where she could site the HubPages.com “adult content” policy literally, and often refused to answer any comments that directly put her in the line of fire, where she could be held accountable for some of poor choices and mistakes as of late, made by several HP staffers.
—Norah Casey wrote:
“Advertisers are very strict about what they consider to be adult content. I’m not sure if Simone (a fellow HP staffer) knows the full scope of what they consider to be “sensitive” content. Her job does not involve reviewing 400 hubs a day. I’m not going to respond any further on this issue…
In response to this comment made by Norah, another long time veteran Hubber mistyhorizon2003, herself having over 1212 fan members with 250 published articles under her belt, pipes into the debate. Not only did this comment help shed a new light on current events, many hubbers were left wondering whether or not HubPages.com provides the proper employee training for some of these new HP hires. Like the recent addition of HP employee, Simone Smith.
—Mistyhorizon2003 wrote:
“Hi Norah,
Just one question, if Simone is not familiar with ‘the full scope of what they consider to be sensitive content’, is it really wise to be allowing her to respond to so many complaints in various threads? Essentially you are ‘throwing her to the wolves’, because you are suggesting here that she lacks experience, therefore surely her responses may well be incorrect or contain inaccurate information!
That doesn’t seem fair to me!”
And, mistyhorizon2003 is 100% correct on this one. She is right! Not only is it not fair for the employee to not be properly trained in the industry, it is also not fair to all the HP Hubbers being forced to put up with these discrepancies. This clear and blatant lack of direction inside the HP home office, is the true cause and effect of many beloved HP Hubbers’ reason for leaving.
For now- the mood on the site is dark and dim, but, most of all it is demoralizing for many Hubbers, old and new alike.
Just take a look here below. This recent hub was written by an obliviously frustrated writer, trying to break into the hard task of writing online. It’s truly an eye opener!
- Here’s is one hubber’s disgruntled article about HubPages.com
Any users new to Hub pages you should be made aware that your content may be removed at the whim of an administrator with out any warning or contact.
Not even a simple warning and window of time to remedy the issue. Just removed. I was considering moving all my blogs here as well as recommending my friends consider doing the same now there is no way.
I’m not an unreasonable person I understand there are rules. I also understand when someone is NEW to a site there is a possibility they may misunderstand some of it’s policies. There at HubPages, the staff doesn’t care about that though, it’s about them, and making money from your work. No respect, not even basic, considerate, fair treatment. It would have been nice, if they would have contacted me about the issues plaguing my hub opportunities. Now there is one more (among many I would assume) person who will have nothing good to say about your site. I’ll make this point on my podcasts and in future blogs. —Reap Paden, of Fu*k you Hub Pages
(This NOT my personal reflection of HubPages.com.)
fighting at, freelance writer, how it works, hubbers leaving, hubpage, hubpages forum, hubpages forums, hubpages review, hubpages scam, hubpages.com, panda update, past hubbers, pros and cons, upset hubbers, writers, writing for, writing hubs, writing on
If you are a freelance writer, blogger, or hubber who happens to enjoy writing, and would like to make some extra cash, I would like to recommend that you start using RedGage.com. I have been really impressed with this site thus far. For those who do not know what RedGage.com is, allow me to clue you in. RedGage is an Internet networking site, which allows you to promote your blogging articles, videos, or hubs by letting you post backlinks in a short, advertisement format. Since you are allowed to download a picture into the article, you will see your ad and a the backlink’s description listed under your profile name. Which I recommend corresponding this name, to any of your other profile names. I corresponded my name with my profile name on HubPages.com. This unique website is a great way for a self-starting, online writer to submit their work, promote, and eventually earn money while driving traffic to their personal websites.
